Key Takeaways

On day 2 of GCUC there was an unconference during which those who attended shared what they had learned from the other sessions they chose to attend earlier that day.  Below are prominent topics on coworking that were discussed.

Attract New Members

You can take advantage of your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to bring in members.  SEO can be utilized by any space because it is a free resource.  Google reviews are helpful — you can even solicit them from your 10 best members. However, when writing Google reviews, get them to say the word “coworking” as well as the name of your city because simply mentioning these helped boost SEO.

Youtube search is another valuable resource for spreading the word about your space and bringing in new members.  It essential that the video is high quality and accurately represents your desired brand. There is a serious lack of coworking videos.  Since there is a lack of content out there, other spaces will share your videos too. However, because of this, be careful of how you portray your space.

How to Educate Your Community

When trying to educate the community on what coworking is, do not use the word coworking at all.  The word “coworking” confuses people because it is a fairly new term.  Instead, it may be more helpful to list the amenities of your space and what it can offer. Everyone should also try to talk about their space wherever possible whether through one on one networking, coffee shops, or even Craigslist — a surprising resource that is completely free to use and available to everyone.

Diversity

Actionable Steps:

• Survey demographics to get an idea of how diverse the coworking community is.
• Individual spaces can create an agreement, separate from the terms of use, that would include things like respect for each other.
• Allow members to donate unused conference time to organizations that may not be able to afford it, like nonprofits.
• Provide staff with diversity and communication training so they understand how to meet the needs of a diverse population and de escalate any disagreements that may arise.
• Take the responsibility of being a diversity ambassador.
• Start a facebook group for sharing resources to the community at large.